Why is Buffy Season 2 box so cheap? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

amuro0 · 06-11-2002, 03:47 PM

Okay...I'm a big X-Files fan and have diligently turned over about $100 for each season set I've bought so far (1-4). So why is Buffy Season 2, with about the same number of episodes and roughly the same extras, going for only approximately $45? Am I missing something here?
I think it's even the same company releasing both.

Daniel Shock · 06-11-2002, 05:38 PM

You are correct, it is the same company. I don't know why the price difference. Maybe they just don't expect that Buffy fans would spend that much...

DVDriven · 06-11-2002, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Daniel Shock
Maybe they just don't expect that Buffy fans would spend that much...

I would say the same. The age demographic for Buffy would be different than that for the X-Files, and they're probably going with the thinking that Buffy's fans would be less inclined to spend their funds on DVD box sets than would viewers of Mulder and Scully. Besides, how many teens are avid DVD collectors?

mp3pir8 · 06-11-2002, 08:58 PM

I agree with DVDriven as far as the reason for the difference in price. Nevertheless, it pisses me off. Got Buffy for $39.99 today at Best Buy, and you know that money is still being made off this item. There's no reason that X-Files should be $109.99 or even $99.99. :rar:

You know what though? I feel kind of hypocritical, 'cause I'll be first in line for X-Files season 6... and 7.... and 8.... and 9.

Oh well.

artood2 · 06-11-2002, 09:42 PM

shhhhhhh

they will hear you and raise the price!

retroboy · 06-11-2002, 11:25 PM

After receiving a tax return of $270 (I calculated I'd get $6 back) in the mail this afternoon, I raced down to the nearest Future Shop and bought Buffy Season Two for $49.99 CDN!! That would be around $35 US--if I were American I'd take advantage of the lower loonie and order all my DVDs from Canada (not that our economy is bad)!

I don't mind paying more for X-Files, TNG--usually my girlfriend buys them (bless her little heart) and I give her a relaxing, sensuous massage and a night's worth of memorable sex in gratitude (hey, I'm not doing too badly with this arrangement!

)

***Wirehed*** · 06-12-2002, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by retroboy
...and I give her a relaxing, sensuous massage and a night's worth of memorable sex in gratitude (hey, I'm not doing too badly with this arrangement! )

So do you hire out for this service, or do you just have a friend do it?

Highlander25 · 06-12-2002, 11:41 AM

$49.99 was a steal. Don't know whereabouts you are, but Future Shop's own website is quoting $61.99!! Perhaps a first day type of promotion maybe...haven't picked it up yet.

Zellers is selling it for $58.99, according to what I caught in an ad. In any event, pretty decent prices!

DVDriven · 06-12-2002, 04:01 PM

What has me puzzled is that Best Buy's regular price for this is $69.99 (at least that's what the price sticker says). They're selling it this week for $30 less than what I assume to be the MSRP (and it may/not be bumped up to full price come next week). Usually when retail chains offer specials on new releases for box sets under $100, they're often within $10-20 dollars of the MSRP (a good example was the Rambo Trilogy released a couple of weeks back, where B&M stores were selling it for ~$40; I think the regular price is ~$50).

Not that I'm complaining (who has a problem with lower prices?), but I'm guessing this item was flagged as a loss leader for BB, or they're just breaking even. Can ex-BB employees here shed some light?

Nexus 6 · 06-12-2002, 04:52 PM

The sticker price of $69.99 at BB also threw me, considering the retail price is only $59.99

Maybe this was just a massive misprint; at any rate, I'll probably grab it for $39.99 while I can.

Little_Dragon · 06-12-2002, 09:07 PM

$49.97 Wal-Mart
$45.99 OnCue (with collectable trading cards)

theta · 06-13-2002, 02:11 AM

Well, my set was preordered in April, and I got it for $40 plus $3 shipping.

The $70 price is not a surprise; MSRP is exactly that, the manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail price. The retailer can charge whatever they feel like, and since places like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc. buy in HUGE bulk, they can cut the price to what seems like the bone and make a fortune on sheer volume. Or they can be anal orifices and charge above MSRP. Idiots will usually pay anything.

Anyhoo, part of it is that the TNG and XF sets are seven discs; Buffy is six. I know that sound ridiculous, but if double-discs have shown us anything, it's that you can knock the price up $15 by adding another disc (behold the proliferation of needless two-disc sets.) Weirdly, it looks like the Buffster has more features in her set than Mulder or Mon Capitan have in theirs.
Another part is that in their prime, TNG and XF drew something like eight figures in terms of viewers; Buffy's highest average is about four million viewers. The demand isn't as high, as fun and highly-praised as the show is.

It would also perhaps not be out of line to assume that Fox Home Video, being one of the better home video departments, might actually have, oh, listened to the consumers. I know it's hard to believe, but I think we might just be seeing a case of it here.

06-11-2002, 03:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
amuro0 Supporting Actor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ohio	Why is Buffy Season 2 box so cheap? Okay...I'm a big X-Files fan and have diligently turned over about $100 for each season set I've bought so far (1-4). So why is Buffy Season 2, with about the same number of episodes and roughly the same extras, going for only approximately $45? Am I missing something here? I think it's even the same company releasing both.

06-11-2002, 05:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Daniel Shock Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA	You are correct, it is the same company. I don't know why the price difference. Maybe they just don't expect that Buffy fans would spend that much... __________________ Daniel Shock My DVD collection

06-11-2002, 08:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
mp3pir8 Actor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Los Angeles, CA	I agree with DVDriven as far as the reason for the difference in price. Nevertheless, it pisses me off. Got Buffy for $39.99 today at Best Buy, and you know that money is still being made off this item. There's no reason that X-Files should be $109.99 or even $99.99. :rar: You know what though? I feel kind of hypocritical, 'cause I'll be first in line for X-Files season 6... and 7.... and 8.... and 9. Oh well. __________________ This is not a dime, Martini. This is a dime. If you break it in half, you don't get two nickels, you get s**t. Try and smoke it. You understand? My DVD Addiction (read: Collection).

06-11-2002, 09:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
artood2 I have a number at the deli Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: invalid city apparently	shhhhhhh they will hear you and raise the price! __________________ FARSCAPE <- Best show . a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

06-11-2002, 11:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
retroboy Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Rock 'n' Roll High School	After receiving a tax return of $270 (I calculated I'd get $6 back) in the mail this afternoon, I raced down to the nearest Future Shop and bought Buffy Season Two for $49.99 CDN!! That would be around $35 US--if I were American I'd take advantage of the lower loonie and order all my DVDs from Canada (not that our economy is bad)! I don't mind paying more for X-Files, TNG--usually my girlfriend buys them (bless her little heart) and I give her a relaxing, sensuous massage and a night's worth of memorable sex in gratitude (hey, I'm not doing too badly with this arrangement! ) __________________ "I think Canadians see the world more as anthropologists. I think we're not burdened by the weight of being a superpower and that gives us the chance to listen and understand different issues around the world."

06-12-2002, 11:41 AM	#8 (permalink)
Highlander25 Actor Join Date: Oct 2001	$49.99 was a steal. Don't know whereabouts you are, but Future Shop's own website is quoting $61.99!! Perhaps a first day type of promotion maybe...haven't picked it up yet. Zellers is selling it for $58.99, according to what I caught in an ad. In any event, pretty decent prices!

06-12-2002, 04:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
DVDriven Actor Join Date: May 2001 Location: 1020 Palm Drive, Cocoa Beach, FL	What has me puzzled is that Best Buy's regular price for this is $69.99 (at least that's what the price sticker says). They're selling it this week for $30 less than what I assume to be the MSRP (and it may/not be bumped up to full price come next week). Usually when retail chains offer specials on new releases for box sets under $100, they're often within $10-20 dollars of the MSRP (a good example was the Rambo Trilogy released a couple of weeks back, where B&M stores were selling it for ~$40; I think the regular price is ~$50). Not that I'm complaining (who has a problem with lower prices?), but I'm guessing this item was flagged as a loss leader for BB, or they're just breaking even. Can ex-BB employees here shed some light? __________________ "The only ism Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." - Dorothy Parker

06-12-2002, 04:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nexus 6 Actor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Anaheim, CA	The sticker price of $69.99 at BB also threw me, considering the retail price is only $59.99 Maybe this was just a massive misprint; at any rate, I'll probably grab it for $39.99 while I can. __________________ --"It's a condition of mental divergence. I find myself on the planet Ogo, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes on Pluto."

06-12-2002, 09:07 PM	#11 (permalink)
Little_Dragon Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cave in the woods	$49.97 Wal-Mart $45.99 OnCue (with collectable trading cards)

06-13-2002, 02:11 AM	#12 (permalink)
theta Cheap Cerebral Paralysis Join Date: May 2002 Location: In aintnosin's basement	Hmmmm... Well, my set was preordered in April, and I got it for $40 plus $3 shipping. The $70 price is not a surprise; MSRP is exactly that, the manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail price. The retailer can charge whatever they feel like, and since places like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc. buy in HUGE bulk, they can cut the price to what seems like the bone and make a fortune on sheer volume. Or they can be anal orifices and charge above MSRP. Idiots will usually pay anything. Anyhoo, part of it is that the TNG and XF sets are seven discs; Buffy is six. I know that sound ridiculous, but if double-discs have shown us anything, it's that you can knock the price up $15 by adding another disc (behold the proliferation of needless two-disc sets.) Weirdly, it looks like the Buffster has more features in her set than Mulder or Mon Capitan have in theirs. Another part is that in their prime, TNG and XF drew something like eight figures in terms of viewers; Buffy's highest average is about four million viewers. The demand isn't as high, as fun and highly-praised as the show is. It would also perhaps not be out of line to assume that Fox Home Video, being one of the better home video departments, might actually have, oh, listened to the consumers. I know it's hard to believe, but I think we might just be seeing a case of it here. __________________ "I need bling, I tell you, BLING!!!" --Palmerlime Theta's discs, 300 mark crossed, 400 here we come!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode